Comments on: DON’T BICYCLE THROUGH RED LIGHTS! http://ronsuarez.com/2008/05/08/dont-bicycle-through-red-lights/ Progressive Politics Tue, 06 Jan 2009 02:06:54 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Frank Schwende http://ronsuarez.com/2008/05/08/dont-bicycle-through-red-lights/#comment-20630 Frank Schwende Fri, 09 May 2008 17:06:04 +0000 http://ronsuarez.com/2008/05/08/dont-bicycle-through-red-lights/#comment-20630 Mr. Suarez, As a law abiding bicyclist, I am offended by cyclists who blow through intersections. Mr. Suarez, you were invited to attend the Same Road - Same Rules Forum on May 7. If you had attended you would have gotten the strong impression, as I did, that responsible bicyclists in the city are united in support of issuing citations to cyclists who break the law. I applaud the efforts of our AAPD patrolment, and hope more tickets are issued until more cyclists learn to obey traffic laws. As other respondents have noted, if a stop light does not detect the cyclist, then the cyclist may proceed through the intersection when safe. But the cyclist needs to know for sure the signal isn't detecting them. Southbound State at Packard does not detect a bicycle in the left turn lane (an arrow). I always come to a complete stop when I come to this intersection and verify that I'm not detected. Regardless of traffic. I'll proceed without the green arrow after the traffic controls go through a complete cycle. Why so fastidious? To demonstrate to motorists that I take safety seriously and abide by the law. If cyclists behave responsibly, verify that the signal is defective, procede with caution and get ticketed ... they simply need to contest the citation. The signal is defective - the city needs to fix it! But from what I routinely see in the city, that probably isn't the case. Thank you, AAPD, for enforcing the laws! Responsible, safe bicyclists support the patrolmen's efforts 100%. Mr. Suarez,

As a law abiding bicyclist, I am offended by cyclists who blow through intersections. Mr. Suarez, you were invited to attend the Same Road - Same Rules Forum on May 7. If you had attended you would have gotten the strong impression, as I did, that responsible bicyclists in the city are united in support of issuing citations to cyclists who break the law. I applaud the efforts of our AAPD patrolment, and hope more tickets are issued until more cyclists learn to obey traffic laws.

As other respondents have noted, if a stop light does not detect the cyclist, then the cyclist may proceed through the intersection when safe. But the cyclist needs to know for sure the signal isn’t detecting them. Southbound State at Packard does not detect a bicycle in the left turn lane (an arrow). I always come to a complete stop when I come to this intersection and verify that I’m not detected. Regardless of traffic. I’ll proceed without the green arrow after the traffic controls go through a complete cycle. Why so fastidious? To demonstrate to motorists that I take safety seriously and abide by the law.

If cyclists behave responsibly, verify that the signal is defective, procede with caution and get ticketed … they simply need to contest the citation. The signal is defective - the city needs to fix it! But from what I routinely see in the city, that probably isn’t the case. Thank you, AAPD, for enforcing the laws! Responsible, safe bicyclists support the patrolmen’s efforts 100%.

]]> By: A Warning From Ron Suarez « Christ Church (beta) http://ronsuarez.com/2008/05/08/dont-bicycle-through-red-lights/#comment-20623 A Warning From Ron Suarez « Christ Church (beta) Fri, 09 May 2008 12:03:11 +0000 http://ronsuarez.com/2008/05/08/dont-bicycle-through-red-lights/#comment-20623 [...] A Warning From Ron Suarez Published May 9, 2008 annarbor , bicycling Ron reminds us cyclists that we need to be cautious about riding through red lights: Also, will we now be ticketing pedestrians who cross against a red light or avoid crosswalks and jaywalk? Again, I am not indicating a particular position what should be ticketed, but I am very concerned about what creates the appearance of tricking our citizens, so we can take their money. [...] [...] A Warning From Ron Suarez Published May 9, 2008 annarbor , bicycling Ron reminds us cyclists that we need to be cautious about riding through red lights: Also, will we now be ticketing pedestrians who cross against a red light or avoid crosswalks and jaywalk? Again, I am not indicating a particular position what should be ticketed, but I am very concerned about what creates the appearance of tricking our citizens, so we can take their money. [...]

]]> By: Stephen McKenna http://ronsuarez.com/2008/05/08/dont-bicycle-through-red-lights/#comment-20605 Stephen McKenna Thu, 08 May 2008 19:25:02 +0000 http://ronsuarez.com/2008/05/08/dont-bicycle-through-red-lights/#comment-20605 Ha, if this law is true I want to see a "high speed" bicycle chase where a cop on a mountain bike is trying to catch a good cyclist on a road bike. Ha, if this law is true I want to see a “high speed” bicycle chase where a cop on a mountain bike is trying to catch a good cyclist on a road bike.

]]> By: Michael McC. http://ronsuarez.com/2008/05/08/dont-bicycle-through-red-lights/#comment-20603 Michael McC. Thu, 08 May 2008 19:07:06 +0000 http://ronsuarez.com/2008/05/08/dont-bicycle-through-red-lights/#comment-20603 I thought jaywalking was our municipal sport. It's certainly a tradition. I thought jaywalking was our municipal sport. It’s certainly a tradition.

]]> By: Phillip Farber http://ronsuarez.com/2008/05/08/dont-bicycle-through-red-lights/#comment-20600 Phillip Farber Thu, 08 May 2008 16:58:14 +0000 http://ronsuarez.com/2008/05/08/dont-bicycle-through-red-lights/#comment-20600 I agree that this policy direction needs to be clearly communicated to cyclists in the city. There is widespread ignorance of traffic law amongst cyclists. Articles in the News, bloggers, bike shops and information packets for incoming freshmen could help. Cycling advocates in town are fully behind increased ticketing for cyclists that ignore the law. The fact is that if your are riding a bike in the road you are the operator of a vehicle with the same rights and responsibilities as an automobile driver. That includes stopping at red lights and waiting for the green. Period. Full stop. If you don't like it change the law. Traffic safety depends on predictable behavior. I should also say, that riding through red lights is dangerous and creates an image of irresponsibility that promotes disrespect for all cyclists by motorists. We need to work to build respect on all fronts. Right now it's a war zone out there. Phillip Farber I agree that this policy direction needs to be clearly communicated to cyclists in the city. There is widespread ignorance of traffic law amongst cyclists. Articles in the News, bloggers, bike shops and information packets for incoming freshmen could help. Cycling advocates in town are fully behind increased ticketing for cyclists that ignore the law. The fact is that if your are riding a bike in the road you are the operator of a vehicle with the same rights and responsibilities as an automobile driver. That includes stopping at red lights and waiting for the green. Period. Full stop. If you don’t like it change the law. Traffic safety depends on predictable behavior. I should also say, that riding through red lights is dangerous and creates an image of irresponsibility that promotes disrespect for all cyclists by motorists. We need to work to build respect on all fronts. Right now it’s a war zone out there.

Phillip Farber

]]> By: Ken Clark http://ronsuarez.com/2008/05/08/dont-bicycle-through-red-lights/#comment-20599 Ken Clark Thu, 08 May 2008 16:15:19 +0000 http://ronsuarez.com/2008/05/08/dont-bicycle-through-red-lights/#comment-20599 This was a recommendation from the Bicycle Coordinating Committee before it was disbanded a few years ago. Of course, at the same time, we recommended that the police ticket motorists for passing cyclists too closely, that the police conduct crosswalk sting operations to ticket motorists for failure to yield to pedestrians in crosswalks, and that the police ticket motorists for stopping in crosswalks at traffic signs and signals. As well, the police need to recognize that only a few triggered signals in town are designed to detect bicyclists. Bicyclists should definitely stop and wait at *timed* signals and at triggered signals when there is also a motorist there to trigger the signal. However, bicyclists are supposed to treat triggered signals that don't detect them as defective and as stop signs. We bicyclists should expect to follow the same rules as everyone else and be ticketed when we don't, but we should also expect the police to deal with the rampant unsafe passing of bicyclists that happens in Ann Arbor. Until they do, they're really just enforcing SE Michigan anti-bicycle bigotry. This was a recommendation from the Bicycle Coordinating Committee before it was disbanded a few years ago. Of course, at the same time, we recommended that the police ticket motorists for passing cyclists too closely, that the police conduct crosswalk sting operations to ticket motorists for failure to yield to pedestrians in crosswalks, and that the police ticket motorists for stopping in crosswalks at traffic signs and signals. As well, the police need to recognize that only a few triggered signals in town are designed to detect bicyclists. Bicyclists should definitely stop and wait at *timed* signals and at triggered signals when there is also a motorist there to trigger the signal. However, bicyclists are supposed to treat triggered signals that don’t detect them as defective and as stop signs.

We bicyclists should expect to follow the same rules as everyone else and be ticketed when we don’t, but we should also expect the police to deal with the rampant unsafe passing of bicyclists that happens in Ann Arbor. Until they do, they’re really just enforcing SE Michigan anti-bicycle bigotry.

]]> By: Tim Athan http://ronsuarez.com/2008/05/08/dont-bicycle-through-red-lights/#comment-20597 Tim Athan Thu, 08 May 2008 15:30:09 +0000 http://ronsuarez.com/2008/05/08/dont-bicycle-through-red-lights/#comment-20597 As regards concerns about ticketing jay walkers: I believe that Ann Arbor has no law against jay walking. As regards concerns about ticketing jay walkers: I believe that Ann Arbor has no law against jay walking.

]]> By: John Hritz (WBWC member) http://ronsuarez.com/2008/05/08/dont-bicycle-through-red-lights/#comment-20596 John Hritz (WBWC member) Thu, 08 May 2008 15:11:36 +0000 http://ronsuarez.com/2008/05/08/dont-bicycle-through-red-lights/#comment-20596 Do you know how much a jaywalking ticket costs in Ann Arbor? I like your reasoning. The criterion should be closer to jaywalking than the rules for a car. Another note is that bikes sometimes will not trigger the signal at intersections that are controlled by the loops in the pavement. In some cities, a pause and proceed when safe rule applies to bikes and motorcycles. Do you know how much a jaywalking ticket costs in Ann Arbor? I like your reasoning. The criterion should be closer to jaywalking than the rules for a car. Another note is that bikes sometimes will not trigger the signal at intersections that are controlled by the loops in the pavement. In some cities, a pause and proceed when safe rule applies to bikes and motorcycles.

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